Electric switch



Dec.- 12, 1939. w. BATCHELLER 2,182,937

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 18, 1937 Patented Dee. 12',1939

' UNITED STATES amass-z PATENT OFFICE nnnc'rarc swrrcn Hugh.W. Batchellcr, Newton, Mass, assignor to Standard Mtg. 00., Worcester, Mass.,,a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 1a, 1931, Serial No. 180,562

. 9 Claims. (cl. zoose) This invention relates to an electric switch adapted to be mounted on a wall. While the switch is capable of use in various circuits for various uses, it is more particularly'designed for 5 the interior pf automobiles to control interior lights such as dome fights and the like. It is an object of'the invention to provide a small compact switch, the visible portions of ;which are an escutcheon and an. operating knob, both of in which can be made of molded plastic of any desired color. The switch elements are housed within these two members, the only external ele- 'ments being a pair of binding posts or the like which project from the rear face of the escutchl5 eon for electrical connections. 7 a

For a more complete understanding of the invention. reference may be had to. the foil'ow ing description of an embodiment thereof, and

to the drawing of which 20. Figure 1 is a front .elevation 'of an electric.

switch embodying the invention.

v Figure 2, isa section on the line 2-2-2 of Figure 3. Y

-. Figure ama section'on the line. 3-1 of mg; 25 ure 1 Figure 4 is a fragmentary'elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing themovable parts in a different position. p I Figure 5 is a perspective view of the moving 30 parts of'the device. j

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a detail of structure. v a

a The switch illustrated on the drawing comprises an escutcheonplate III which may be of 35 any desired contour and of any suitable insulating material, preferably a moldable plastic. This plate is provided with suitable holes I! to receive screws by which it can be secured to a' supporting wall. Onthe-front face of the plate I- is 40 an operating knob 10 which is slidablethereon to open and close the switch. The knob 20 is-heid in assembled relation with the plate III by suitable means such as apair of posts 22 having heads embedded. in the knob 20. These posts 45 project rearwardly through corresponding slots 24 in." the plate-' .lll,-the slots being elongated in thesame direction so that the posts 22 can ride in the slots whenthe knobis moved from-one position to another. i As indicated in Figures 2 c and 6, each'of the slots 24 is enlarged near the rear face 'of the plate It, forming an inner shoul-- der 28; Seated against each shoulder 26 is a metal grommet ill which acts as a wear piece. The projecting end portions of the posts 22 are 55 expanded as at 32- after the posts have been inserted through the'narrow portions of the slots 24. The expanded end portions 32 overlap the wear pieces ll so that the knob is thus held in assembled relation with the plate It.

A pair of conductors ll are embedded in and 5 extend through the plate to, each of these conductors presenting its forward end face. for

contact with a brid conductor The bridging conductor may, as indicated in Figure 5, conslst of a strip of metal, the ends of which are bent up at right angles to the main portion of the conductor, the bent-up end portions 46 projecting into a pair of recesses 48 .formed in the rear face ofthe knob 20 when the same is molded.

'At the same time'a central recess so is formed in the knob between the recesses 48, these recesses being connected by a shallow channel 52 for the main portion of the bridging conductor M, The central recess 5| receives a compression spring 5|, one end of which is adapted to bear against the central portion of the bridging" conductor u when the end portions 46 are disposed within the end recesses l8. The member 44. is provided with a pair of small bulges 56 which are 'arranged'to make simultaneous contact with respective conductors 40. The forward end faces 42 of these conductors are preferably countersunk or hollowed as indicated in Figure 3, so

that ;the bulges 58 may ride into and out of these hollows, thus holding the switch yieldably in closed position. The spring 5| presses. the member 44 constantly toward the rear so thatthe bulges 56 are always -in firm contact withsome portion of the plate II or the forward ends 42 of the conductors l].

Projecting rearwardly from the back of the plate II are a pair of elements 60 which are by an end or the knob '20 when-the switch is open'and which is exposed when the knob is moved to close the switch.

- It is evident that various modifications an changes may bemade in the embodiment of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the following a I claim:

1. An electric switch a escutcheon '55 v 2 amass? plate of insulating material, a pair of conductors extending through the escutcheon from the front face to the rear face thereof, an operating knob slidable on the front face of said escutcheon, a

g bridging conductor movable by and with said knob on the face of the escutcheon to and from a closed switch position in contact with both of said pair of conductors, and means holding said knob and escutcheon in assembled relation.

2. An electric switch comprising an escutcheon plate of insulating material having a pair of slots therethrough elongated in the same direction, a pair of conductors each having aportion embedded in said plate so as to present a con- 5 tact surface at the front face of the plate and a portion projecting from'the rear face of the plate to serve as a binding post, an operating knob of insulating material slidable on the frontface of said plate and having recesses in its rear face, a bridging conductor and a spring in said recesses arranged so that the spring presses the bridging conductor rearwardly against the front face of the plate, and a pair of posts projecting rearwardly from said knobthrough said slots, respectively, the ends of said posts being enlarged to hold said knob in assembled relation with said plate.

3. An electric switch comprising an escutcheon plate of molded plastic material with a pair of slots therethrough, each slot having a greater width at the rear face of the plate than at the front face with a shoulder within the plate on g each side of said slot, grommets-seated on said shoulders, an operating knob of molded plastic 85 material slidable on the front face of said plate, a pair of conductors embedded in said plate so that portions thereof are exposed at the front face of the plate for contact, a bridging conductor movable by and with said knob into contact with both of said pair of conductors, and means for maintaining said knob and plate in assembled relation, said means including a pair of posts projecting rearwardly from said knob into respective slots,'the end of each post being enlarged to 4,5 overlap said grommets.

4. An electric switch comprising an escutcheon plate of insulating material, a pair of conductors extending through said plate and exposed at the frontface thereof for contact, a knob of insulatgo ing material slidable a limited distance on the front face of said plate, a bridging conductor movable by and with said knob into and out of f simultaneous contact with the exposed portions of said conductors, and means for maintaining as said knob and plate in assembled relation, said knob being arranged to permanently conceal all of said conductors and said means.

5. An electric switch structure compr sing an escutcheon plate. electric terminal members fixed 00 directly to said plate, a button slidable relative to said plate. a contact member resiliently mounted within said button for completing the circuit between said terminals when the button is in one position. and means for slidably mount- 8| ing said button directly on said plate, said lastnamed means including members fixed to said button and extending through said plate. said last-named members being bent to slidably fix said button relative to saidplate.

o 0, An electric switch structure an escutcheon plate; electric terminal members fixed directly said plate, slide plates fixed tothe A to said button and extending through said escutcheon plate adjacent said slide plates, said 10 last-named members being bentto slidably en-.

gage said slide plates for slidably mounting said button relative to the escutcheon plate.

7. An electric switch structure comprising an escutcheon plate. electric terminal members 1:, fixed directly to said plate, said escutcheon plate havingelongated substantially parallel recesses formed in the rear face thereof, a slide plate disposed within each of said recesses, a button on the forward face of said escutcheon plate :30 slidable relative thereto, a contact member resiliently mounted within said button for completing the circuit between said terminals when the button is in one position, and the means for slidably mounting said button directly on said 25 escutcheon plate, said last-named means including members fixed to said button and extending through said escutcheon plate adjacent said slide plates, said last-named members being bent to slidably engage said slide plates and thereby slid- 30 ably'fix said'button relative to the escutcheon plate. .A

8. An electric switch comprising an escutcheon plate having a slot therethrough, a pair of condoctors each mounted on said plate so as to as present a contact surface fiush with the front face of the plate and to project rearwardly from the plate to serve as a terminal, an'operating knob slidable on the front face of the plate and having a recess in its rear face, a bridging con- 40 ductor disposed in said recess and movable by said knob into and out of simultaneous contact with said pair of conductors, a spring in said recess arranged to press said bridging conductor against the front face of said plate, said pair of conductors being insulated from;one another when the switch is open, and means for maintaining said knob in assembled relation with the plate, said means including an element projecting throughlsaid slot and bearing against the rear of the plate. i

9. An electric switch comprising an escutcheon plate of insulating material having a pair of slots therethrough elongated in the same direction.

a pair of conductors each having a po beddedin said plate so as to present a contact surface at) the front face of said plate and -a portion pm] from the rear face of the plate to serve as a terminal, an operating knob of insulating material slidable on the front face of go said plate and'having a recess in its rear face, a bridging conductor in said recess movable by said knob into and out of simultaneous contact with said pair of conductors, a spring in said recess arranged to press said bridging conductor against said plate, and means for maintaining said knob in assembled relation with said plate, said means including a pair of elements projecting through respective said slots and having por- .tionsbearingagainsttherearofthepiate.'

noon w. Ba'r'cnsmsa. 

